Truth Seeker
New Member
A medical marijuana trade association in the state of Washington has recently restructured under a new name to include cultivators of legal recreational cannabis with the passage of Initiative 502.
The group, formerly known as the Association for Medical Marijuana Producers and Processors (AMMP), and now known as the Evergreen State Cannabis Trade Alliance (ESCTA), is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade organization. ESCTA will certify cultivators of legal marijuana for adults in Washington, in addition to the cultivators of medical cannabis currently served, who voluntarily participate in third-party testing verifying that the cannabis is free of mold, fungus, pesticides and other contaminants.
Muraco Kyashna-tocha, the Director of ESCTA, explained in an interview by phone that the group is primarily composed of patient and consumer advocates. She says that the current industry for marijuana production is unregulated, and "no one is actually checking to ensure cannabis is mold, fungus and pesticide-free." Concerned with potential health consequences of such contaminants, Kyashna-tocha says she expects that "within a year or two, we will be a completely regulated industry." In the meantime, ESCTA is seeking to fill the gap by providing a voluntary standard for cultivators to obtain certification and provide consumers with scientifically-based information about the marijuana that they are using.
Members of the group include scientists, medical professionals, nurses from cancer centers and Kyashna-tocha, who is an anthropologist. They met over a period of 18 months to establish voluntary standards for medical marijuana cultivation in 2010, and now they are evolving their organization to include legal marijuana for adult use that will be grown for resale under Washington's new law, possibly as early as 2014.
The standards adopted by ESCTA include third-party testing performed by what Kyashna-tocha describes as the "first independent lab in the state." She explains that the lab, Northwest Botanical Analysis, does the testing and then provides the results to ESCTA for those seeking certification. She also emphasized that the lab is composed of "scientists, not cannabis advocates" that use strict cut-off guidelines to determine if the cannabis passes or fails each specific test.
In order to be certified by ESCTA, a grower or processor must be a dues-paying member of the group and attend meetings, set up an interview with ESCTA to request testing and allow ESCTA to review the results, submit batches of cannabis for testing and go through a six-month probationary period that includes an inspection of the cultivation site. The standards specify testing for residual pesticides, fungicides/herbicides, environmental contaminants such as pet hair or insect eggs, and nutrient build-up from fertilization. Cannabis also must be dry, specifically defined as having 11% moisture content or less.
When asked about potential complications from molds or contaminants, Kyashna-tocha cites a study from Colorado that illustrated high mold concentrations in a number of grow sites that were tested after entry by law enforcement and anecdotally points to patients who have suffered fungal lung infections that were attributed to smoked cannabis. In some cases, mold was visible on the marijuana without magnification.
Membership is open to any lawful grower of cannabis in the state of Washington for a nominal fee. In addition to the membership fee, additional costs would be associated with the testing of cannabis. Kyashna-tocha says that the complete testing costs $150 for each batch, and that while the cost is "probably not practical for the average patient" growing for their own personal use, it is "not much for industry" to pay to ensure consumer safety. There are currently 100 dues-paying members, and the group hopes to expand as legal marijuana gains ground.
News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: examiner.com
Author: Jennifer Alexander
Contact: About Examiner.com Passionate, local writers | Examiner.com
Website: Trade alliance for legal marijuana growers evolves in Washington - Portland cannabis | Examiner.com
The group, formerly known as the Association for Medical Marijuana Producers and Processors (AMMP), and now known as the Evergreen State Cannabis Trade Alliance (ESCTA), is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade organization. ESCTA will certify cultivators of legal marijuana for adults in Washington, in addition to the cultivators of medical cannabis currently served, who voluntarily participate in third-party testing verifying that the cannabis is free of mold, fungus, pesticides and other contaminants.
Muraco Kyashna-tocha, the Director of ESCTA, explained in an interview by phone that the group is primarily composed of patient and consumer advocates. She says that the current industry for marijuana production is unregulated, and "no one is actually checking to ensure cannabis is mold, fungus and pesticide-free." Concerned with potential health consequences of such contaminants, Kyashna-tocha says she expects that "within a year or two, we will be a completely regulated industry." In the meantime, ESCTA is seeking to fill the gap by providing a voluntary standard for cultivators to obtain certification and provide consumers with scientifically-based information about the marijuana that they are using.
Members of the group include scientists, medical professionals, nurses from cancer centers and Kyashna-tocha, who is an anthropologist. They met over a period of 18 months to establish voluntary standards for medical marijuana cultivation in 2010, and now they are evolving their organization to include legal marijuana for adult use that will be grown for resale under Washington's new law, possibly as early as 2014.
The standards adopted by ESCTA include third-party testing performed by what Kyashna-tocha describes as the "first independent lab in the state." She explains that the lab, Northwest Botanical Analysis, does the testing and then provides the results to ESCTA for those seeking certification. She also emphasized that the lab is composed of "scientists, not cannabis advocates" that use strict cut-off guidelines to determine if the cannabis passes or fails each specific test.
In order to be certified by ESCTA, a grower or processor must be a dues-paying member of the group and attend meetings, set up an interview with ESCTA to request testing and allow ESCTA to review the results, submit batches of cannabis for testing and go through a six-month probationary period that includes an inspection of the cultivation site. The standards specify testing for residual pesticides, fungicides/herbicides, environmental contaminants such as pet hair or insect eggs, and nutrient build-up from fertilization. Cannabis also must be dry, specifically defined as having 11% moisture content or less.
When asked about potential complications from molds or contaminants, Kyashna-tocha cites a study from Colorado that illustrated high mold concentrations in a number of grow sites that were tested after entry by law enforcement and anecdotally points to patients who have suffered fungal lung infections that were attributed to smoked cannabis. In some cases, mold was visible on the marijuana without magnification.
Membership is open to any lawful grower of cannabis in the state of Washington for a nominal fee. In addition to the membership fee, additional costs would be associated with the testing of cannabis. Kyashna-tocha says that the complete testing costs $150 for each batch, and that while the cost is "probably not practical for the average patient" growing for their own personal use, it is "not much for industry" to pay to ensure consumer safety. There are currently 100 dues-paying members, and the group hopes to expand as legal marijuana gains ground.
News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: examiner.com
Author: Jennifer Alexander
Contact: About Examiner.com Passionate, local writers | Examiner.com
Website: Trade alliance for legal marijuana growers evolves in Washington - Portland cannabis | Examiner.com
